Device for truing bowling-pins.



PATENTED SEPT. 8

APPLICATION TILED MAR. 27, 1906.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

. N Q MQ N; NI N Nm/ n em m Qx L .g I Q n Am g H G No. 897,937. 7 PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1908. T. SMALL.

DEVICE FOR TRUING BOWLING PINS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT onrrcn.

' THOMAS SMALL, OF CAMDEN, NEW J ERSEY, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF TO CHARLES P. RICHTER,

OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

DEVICE FOR TRUING BOWLING-PINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1908.

Application filed March 27, 1906. Serial No. 308,208.

viding of means for grinding the base of the pin to true up any imperfections on its surface after the same has been broken, dented or otherwise defaced so that the pin will not I readily stand on its base.

With this object in view, my invention consists in details of construction and. manner of operation set forth in the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters refer to corresponding parts.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of my device, showing the bowling pin in position to have its base ground by the machine Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line'22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a fragmentary portion of Fig. 2 Fig. 5 is a transverse section so taken on the line 5"5 of Fig. 4 and Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the spring pins.

v The frame of my device consists of two vertical walls 1-1, curved towards each other at one end until they intersect in a vertical plane extending longitudinally through the middle of the machine. Projecting from the bottom of these walls are apertured lugs 2 by means of which the said frame may be screwed to a bed or some flat surface. Near the top of the intersection of the two side walls is a cylindrical casing having two chambers 3 and 4, the latter being of smaller internal diameter than the former. This casing is supported by a web- 5, which projects downwardly from beneath the portion 3, the

said web extending inwardly from the intersection of the side walls. The two chambers 3 and 4 of the casing open into each other,

gear casing 5, having projecting outwardly around said aperture, e internal portion of and inwardly from its central portion an apertured lug 6. Vv'ithin the gear casing 5 is located an internal gear wheel 7, having its outer side portion entirely closed by a web with the exception of an orifice at its center, which coincides with the perforation in the lug 6. A cylindrical lug 11 projects outwardly around the orifice in the web. Through the bearing thus formed extends a journal pin 8, having attached to its inner end a collar 9 by means of the screw 10. Upon the lug 11 is fastened the collar 12 of the crank 13. Through the said collar, lug

and pin passes a locking pin 14, thus locking the internal gear, journal pin and crank in rigid relation, the-said journal pin being free to revolve in the lug 6 of the rigid casing 5, which lug acts as a journal bearing.

Within the lower end of the casing 5 and meshing with theteeth of the internal gear 7 is the pinion 15, keyed to the shaft 16, which revolves in a lug 17 surrounding an orifice in the casing 5. The inner end of the shaft 16 is keyed to a sleeve 18, which terminates in ahollow conical portion 19,-; the latter being lined with frictional material 20, such as rubber or the like. Below the gear casing 5 is the end wall 21 of the frame. The top -of the walls of the frame are in a horizontal plane which passes through the axis of the shaft 16. Referring again to the opposite end of the machine a centering pin 25, provided with a collar 25 on its inner. extremity, passes through the casing and has a screw-threaded stem 26 extending outwardly through the aperture in the chamber 4. A handle 27 is adapted to revolve back and forth upon the said screw-threaded portion and to abut against the end of the casing 4, thus acting, together with the stem, in the form of a draw-bolt, and constructed to adjust the pin inwardly and outwardly, as desired. A nut 28 is screwed on the extreme end of the screw-threaded stem 26 to act as a stop to prevent the handle 27 from working off theend of the screw-threaded stem. VVithinthe chamber 4 and surrounding the screwthreaded stem 26 is a spiral spring 29, which has its ends res ectively abutting against the outer end of t e casing 4 and the shoulder 26' on'the pin 25,'Where the latter joins its stem 26.

30 indicates a grinding plate having an aperture in' its central ortion and a lug 31 said lug being of smaller diameter than the aperture for a portion of its length, thus fofming a shoulder 31, which engageswiththe collar 25 on the pin 25. Within the chamber 3 and surrounding the pin. 25 is a spiral spring 32, having its ends respectively abutting against the shoulder 3 formed in the chamber-and the inner end of .the lug 31 of the grinding plate 30. Longitudinally of the lug 31 is a spline 30 which takes in a groove 32 in the inner surface of the chamber 3. Thus the grinding plate 30 is adapted to move longitudinally against the resistance of the spring 32 but is prevented from revolving by the spline 31. To the outer periphery of the face of the grinding plate 30 is yieldingly held a flat annular ring 35 by means of the pins 36 riveted thereto, and passing through the plate.

30, terminating at their outer ends in nuts 38 between which and the outer face of the plate 30 are confined spiral springs 37. The pins 36 are. loosely journaled in the late 30, to enable them to reciprocate t erethrough against the resisting action of the springs 37. A grinding material 40, such as sand paper, emery aper or the like is detachably fastened to tl ie inner face of the grinding plate 30 by means of the spring seated ring 35, and through the central portion of the said grinding sheet is an orifice for the passage of the conical portion of the centering pin 25.

Having now described the construction of my device I will proceed to explain the operation thereof.

vgagement between the u I When it is desired to true up any imperfections on the base portion of a bowling pin so that the latter will have a perfectly fiat base to stand on, the said pin is placed in the machine, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, its upper portion being engaged by the frictional in terior surface of the cone 19 and its base portion being engaged at its exact center by the point of the centering pin 25. The center-. ing pin being small and its penetration into the base of the bowling pin being very slight it enables the latter to revolve .upon the point of the former. The revolution of the pin upon its axis is effected by the gearing above described, which operates through means of the crank 13 turning the journal pin 8, which is rigidly attached to and revolves the internal gear 7, which, in turn, rotates the pinion 15, which latter is keyedto and rotates the shaft 16, keyed to the sleeve 18 of the conical portion-19. Of course, it is not necessary that I should utilize a crank as my initial revolving means for the journal pin 8, asthe latter may be connected up by suitable gearing to any kind of motor.

Neither is it necessary that I should utilize a rubber lining 20 on the interior of the cone 19, as any means for obtaining a positive enper end of the bowling pin' and the interior surface of the cone may be utlized, provided the same will normally presses against the shoulder 26 of gage the bowling pin for centering purposes. The base of the bowling pin around its center portion is in contact with the grinding sheet40, which latter is pressed against the base by means of the compression springs 32, which normally press inwardly on the lug 31 with sufficient force to hold the grinding surface in operative position against the'base of the pin. The said grinding surface 1s prevented from revolving with the pin by virtue of its edge portions being clamped between the annular plate 35 and the grinding plate 30, and the said grinding revolving by means 0 terior surface of its lug 31, which spline takes in a groove in the casing and permits a reciprocating but not a rotating movement of the lug, as hereinbefore described. To disengage the bowlingpin from the machine, the centering pin 25 is drawn outwardly by 25, around the centering pin engaging the it in its movement the grinding plate30. By

rotating the handle 27 the same is caused to bear against the outer end of the casing and causes the screw-threaded stem 26 t9 draw the centering pin outwardly in the manner of a draw-bolt connection. The said centering pin is thus longitudinally movable, to enable the bowling pinto be engaged and disengaged therewith and is also adjustable to conform in its engagement with bowling pins of slightly variable length.' When the cen tering pin is in engagement with the base there is a slight clearance between its collar 25 and the shoulder 31, which clearance enables a certain degree of adjustment independent of the movement, of the grinding plate 30, which latter is forced inwardly by the spring 32, the said inward movement being limited by its en agement with the bowling pin. When the owling pin, however, is

disengaged from the machine the limit of the inward position of the grinding plate 30 is determined'by the osition of the collar 25 en gaging the shou der 31. By this arrangement, I am enabled not only to simultaneously withdraw the grinding plate and centering pin from their engagement with the base of the bowling pin, but also to effect an independent adjustment of the centering pin when the bowling pin is being placed in the machine, and to limit the outward movement of the grinding plate when the bowling in is'removed from the machine. By pressing inwardly on the spring pins 36 the annuplate is prevented from. a spline 30 ontheexmeans of the rotating handle 27, the collar shoulder 31 of the lug 31, t ius carrying with engage the pin in such a manner that the the centering pin with suflicient force to enlar late 35 may be disengaged from the grinding plate 30 to enable a grinding sheet to be inserted between the spring his 36 are then released and'the annular p ate 35 springs back and clamps the edges of the grinding sheets .to the face of the s heretofore stated, the.

grinding plate 30. said grinding sheet may be made of any su table material and is perforated at the center to permit the passage therethrough of the point of the centering pin 25.

A While I have specifically illustrated the grinding material as being formed out of a sheet, it is obvious that the grinding function may be performed by any of the well known means, such as the utilization of knife edges or making the face of the grinding plate in the form of a grinding surface.

While the ap aratus herein described is adapted to grim the bases of bowling pins varying slightly in length, certain parts thereof must be removed and others substituted to adapt the same to bowling pins having a variable length of greater'degree. I may accom lish this in several ways, one of which is in having the cone 19 with its collar 18 in varying sizes and roportions, but all ada ted to'be keyed to t e shaft 16, or I may su stitute other parts having greater or less roportions than those illustrated, rovide they have a constant dimension w ich ada ts them to be substituted in the machine. liirving now described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

. 1. In amachine for truing bowling pins, a revoluble means for engaging the upper portion of the pin, a} centering means for engaging its baseportion and means for holding a grinding material a ainst said base portion.

2. In a machine or truing bowling pins, a revolublemeans for engaging the upper portion of the pin, a yielding centering meansfor -e aging its base portion and means for he ding a' grinding material against said base portion. 1

' 3. In a machine for truing bowling pins, a

. revoluble means for engaging the upper por tion of the pin, a yielding;;centering means for engaging its base portionsa'nd yielding means l ..for hold ng a grinding material against said base portion.

4. A machine for truing bowling pins, consisting of revoluble means for engaging the ulpper portion of the c amber fora spiral spring, a centering pin engaging said spring andhaving a project ng stem passing through the end of said cham her, and means external to the casing for drawingsaid stem against the resistance of sai spring. t

5 machine for tru ng bowling pins, consisting of revoluble means for en aging the upper portion of the pin, a casing avin an outer chamber for one spiral spring an an two parts. The

' threaded means on than the internal diameter 0 pin, a casing havmg a sews -inner chamber for another spiral spring, a

centering in engaging the one spring and a grindin p ate engaging the other s ring, and means or drawing the said grin ing plate and centering pin against theresistance of said springs. v J

6. A machine for truing bowling pins, consisting .of a revoluble means for en aging the upper portion of the pin, a casing aving an outer chamber for one spiral spring and an inner chamber for another spiral spring, a grinding plate engaging the one spring, a centering pin having a stem projecting through the outer end of the casing engaging the other spring and also engaging said grinding plate, and means external to the casing for moving said stem longitudinall 7. A machine for truing bow ing pins, consisting of a revoluble means for engaging the upper portion of the pin, a casing having an aperture in its outer end and having the internal diameter of its inner portion greater than the internal diameter of its outer portion to form a shoulder, a spiral spring located in each portion, an apertured grinding plate having an inwardly projecting collar, the outer ,end of .which bears against one of said springs, a centering pin having a screwthreaded stem passing through the aperture in the end of the casing, the said pin engaging the other of said springs and having a part thereof adapted to engage the collar on the grinding plate, and an internal screwsaid stem, adapted to bear against the outer end of said casing.

8. A machinefor truing bowling pins, consisting .of revoluble means for engaging the upper portion of the pin, a casing having an aperture in its outer end and having the internal diameter of its inner ortion greater its outer portion to form a shoulder, a s iral s rin located in each ortion, a grin ing p ate av-' ing an inward y projecting collar adapted to bear against one of said springs, the said 001- lar having a shoulder located on its interior surface near,1ts 1111161 end, a centering pin having a collar around its inner end adapted to bear against said shoulder, the said cen tering pinengaging the other s ring and having a stem pro ecting throug the aperture in the outer end of the casing, and means located external to. the casing for moving said stem longitudinall 9. A machine for truing bowling pins, consisting of revolubleemeans for engaging the upper portion of the pin, a casing having an aperture in its outer end and having the internal diameter of its inner ortion greater than the internal diameter 0 its outer por- 125 tion to form a shoulder, a s iral s rin located in each lportion, a grin ing p ate aving an inward y projecting collar adapted to bear against one of said sprindgs, the said collar havmg a shoulder locate on its interior 13c surface near its inner end, a centering pin holdin said strlps in their clam a stem projecting through the a "outer end of the casing, means 'nal to the casing for moving said stem longitudinally, and yielding tion of the pin, ing its base portion and means for grinding through said plate,

- pins and a retaining ing pin engaging the other spring and having erture in the coated exter- 7 means for clam ing a sheet of grinding material against the f ace of said grinding plate.

10. In a machine for truing bowling pins, a revoluble means for engaging the upper portion of said pin, centering means for engaging its base portion, and means for holding a stationary grinding surface against the said base portion.

11. In a machine for truing bowling pins, re'voluble .means for engaging the upper pora centering means for engagsa1d base portion, which consists .of a flat a ertured plate having a'retaining strip for c amping a grinding sheet to said plate, pins fastened to said retaining-stri and passing and spira springs surins beneath said plate, for ing position;

12. n a machine'for truing owling pins, means for revolvin said pin upon its axis, and meansfor in ing the base of said pin, comprising a p ate, a grinding sheet, spring late for said sheet.

13. In a machine or truing bowling pins, a revoluble' means for engaging the upper ortion of said pin, a centering pin ing. the base portion mechanism comprising rounding said a fiat plate having a central aperture for the centering pin, an

plate.

1 ported on-said centeringi means,

for en agthereof, and a grinding spring seated annularring around the router surface of-s-aid late.

14. In a mac revoluble means for engaging the upper portion of said pin, a centering pin for engaging the base portion thereof, and a grinding mechanism comprisin a flat plate having a centralaperture for t e centerin pin, an a ertures arranged'circumferentia ly around t e outer'surli-ace having pins threon' extending through said circumferential apertures respectively, and

spiral springs surrounding said pins on the opposite) side of said fiat plate, the said s rings being retained on the pins by stops, t e ring, plate, pins and-springs being arranged to permit a yielding movement of said ring away from said plate.

15. In a grinding machine, a frame, means for .centering an article to be ground supported on said frame, a grinding plate suported, on said or limiting the inward movement of said 16. In a grinding machine, a frame, means for centering an article to be ground'supported on said frame, a grinding plate supmiting the inward movement of said plate,

l and means for yieldingly holding said plate in operative position;

I In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand th's 24th day of March, A. 1)., 1906. THOMAS SMALL.

VV'itnesses:

WALTER A. HOLDEN, J. Hnnnnnson.

ne for truing bowling pins, a

centering means and meansthereof, a fiat annular ring for 

